Question to police officers?

Question

I have a question to ask all police officers. I am confused about something. Is it your job to pervent a crime from being committed or to wait until a crime is committed and then react? Here is a minor example. Say someone accidentaly turn down a one way street. If you are parked on that street. Will you try and stop the person from accidentaly turning down that street or will you wait until they turn down that street then issue them a traffic violation ticket?

Answer 1

I am not a police officer, but that is a great question. I do not think all cops are universal in the sense that they all commit to only one of the two choices. I think some are this way and others are another way. I definately would like to believe that the primary goal is to preclude the crime rather than wait to give the person a ticket.

Answer 2

How would you suggest we stop them from going down the one way. Stand outside the car and flag them down? That would be nice but impractical. You are probobly the same person that wonders where an officer is when a crime is committed huh? You know disobendience of a law is suppose to have penalties. I guess you just have to rely on your intellitgence and the officers discretionary posture at the time in question. Be courteous it will only do you some goodl. Be crummy and it will get worse.

Answer 3

Interesting question! My dad became a cop back in the days when preventing crime and helping people were what being a cop was all about. He went to the DA's office for 8 years and then went back on the street until he retired. He figured he'd just go back to doing what he did before he left, like making sure merchant doors were secure and locked. Every time he did something like that, his young partner would tell him that it wasn't their job. Finally, my dad pulled over and asked his partner what their job was! His answer was solving crime. Perhaps there is more crime now then when my dad started, but from what we can tell, they teach the recruits in the Academy to be "Dick Tracy," as my dad would say, and not to help people, which includes preventing crime before it happens.

Answer 4

If I am in a position to stop you before you start down the street, then I will. If you are already doing it I'd probably stop you and tell you to turn around. Not necessarily a citation here unless you fail the "attitude test". Now, if you decide to go the wrong way on the freeway, the guys take it pretty seriously. Don't expect any breaks, if you survive.

Answer 5

Ok most of the citizens in this country would see a police offer has a helpful and friendly person if they stopped you before you went into the one way. However it only one *** to stink up a room. There is a suffcient number of people out in the mix these days that would scream police harassment if they were not actually breaking the law and the police stopped them based on their intentions. It is not against the law for me to intend on killing you, however if I actually attempted it then I break the law. The people who are looking for a lottery winning by sueing over anything have destroyed the helpfulness quality. When my grandfather was alive and serving our town as Deputy Sheriff he would always try to be helpful and courtious. My brother in law is a cop now and he says his are tied to do the nice thing.

Answer 6

In that law suit where the lady in New England called the police over and over again cause her ex was going to kill her and they never responded....he ended up stabbing her to death. In the law suit, the court's final decision was that the law enforcement agency was NOT responsible for preventing a crime and was therefore, not liable for failing to respond.

Answer 7

How would the officer know that you're going to turn down the street? They took the crystal balls out of the squad cars in the 80's. So, how could he prevent it?

Answer 8

I would stop the guy and just tell him that it was a one way street. no need to write every person you stop. thats why police officers have discretion. i usually dont write many speeding tickets either. i write impead trafic. which is no pts, doesnt go in the insurance, and its like a $125 fine in my city.

Answer 9

my uncle is a police officer and when i read this quesiton i asked him and he says they wait till u turn down the street to issue a violation ticket. lol goo figure. hope this helped.

Answer 10

For the most part being visible is for prevention, and just plain getting caught is enforcement......